Utah Senate passes Pledge of Allegiance bill

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah: The Utah State Senate unanimously passed SB223 on Tuesday, a bill which would change the way students say the Pledge of Allegiance. Students in middle and high school would be asked to say the pledge daily, rather than weekly as they currently do. Schools would also recite the pledge classroom-by-classroom, as opposed to over a loudspeaker.[1]

The bill was sponsored by Senator Aaron Osmond, who said he hopes the changes would make reciting the pledge "a more meaningful experience." Students would still have the option to not participate.[1]

The bill was altered by Senator Howard Stephenson, who added a change that would ask schools to teach students that saying the pledge was voluntary and that students who did not choose to say it would be shown respect. He said, "We live in a plural society, and we want to teach our children to show respect for those of differing faiths and different beliefs."[1]